Match Report -
Celtic finish pre-season with a comfortable 3-0 win at Mossley
By Taran Dhamrait

Celtic finished pre-season with a confident performance away at Mossley finishing the game 3-0 winners but it could have been even more.

Goals from Scott Bakkor, Jack Ryan and Matty Hughes ensured Celtic finished comfortable winners in what was the clubs final game before next weekends season opener at Nantwich.

Both teams started the first half relatively well however it was Celtic who created the first opening of the game. Stephen Brogan delivered a corner from the right-hand side, Celtic’s Ioan Evans rose highest and sent a bullet header towards goal which was saved well by Jordan Hadlow.

Bakkor, who the hosts could not deal with, managed to beat the offside trap on 10 minutes, he appeared to be barged over by a Mossley defender but the referee wasn’t interested.

Mossley then countered fast up the pitch and Grant Shenton had to make a good save to deny a Mossley striker who was through on goal.

Bakkor saw a shot from distance saved by Hadlow before Andy Keogh fired a curling shot just wide for the hosts after receiving the ball on the turn just outside of the penalty area.

New striker Ryan saw his first action on 28 minutes. The ball was played to Ryan on half way, he cleverly flicked the ball on into the path of Bakkor but a Mossley defender did well to recover and prevent Bakkor from getting a shot away.

Bakkor managed to cause more problems and on 36 minutes, he was awarded a penalty. Charley Doyle found Bakkor inside the penalty area, his was brought down by a Mossley defender and the referee pointed to the spot, much to the anger of the home faithful.

Bakkor stepped up to take the spot kick, and coolly sent a Panenka style kick straight down the middle of the goal, beating Hadlow who had dived to his right.

Shenton was called into action before the break and he was on hand to divert a header over the cross bar before Celtic doubled their lead in added time.

Doyle fed the ball through to Ryan who was bearing down on goal, he chipped the ball over Hadlow and netted Celtic’s second of the match.

In the second half, Ryan saw a powerful volley blocked before Celtic nearly scored a third on 53 minutes. Shenton sent an accurate kick forwards which set Ryan running in behind the Mossley defence, he took his time before setting Brogan on the edge of the area, his curling effort drifted just wide.

Shenton saw another kick reach Ryan in similar fashion to the previous attack moments before, this time the forward fired across goal and narrowly wide of the far post.

Ryan was heavily involved with many of Celtic’s attacks during the game, often combining well with his teammates. With four minutes from time, Brogan chipped the ball into the penalty area from the left-hand side, Ryan headed the ball towards goal but Hadlow saved well.

Bakkor hit the side netting in the closing stages of normal time but Celtic did manage to convert one of their many second half chances with almost the last kick of the game.

Celtic broke forward quickly in the 92nd minute and found themselves in a three on two attacking scenario, Bakkor initially played Ryan in, his shot hit the post however he was able to meet the rebound and pull the ball back across goal where substitute Hughes was waiting to tap the ball home.

Celtic finished the game 3-0 winners and will hope to build on this performance on Saturday August 14 when we face Nantwich Town at The Weaver Stadium (15:00) to kick-off our league campaign.

Attendance: 350

Celtic: Shenton, Barlow, Brogan, Evans, Quansah, O’Halloran, Doyle, Wedgbury, Ryan, Bakkor, Harris.

Subs: Trialist, Padden, Hughes (’68), Awe, Deacon, Trialist.